Carmichael

Open letter to the UC Davis community:

The UC Davis Police Department is a proud member of the UC Davis community both on the Sacramento and Davis campuses. It is my responsibility as your police chief to serve all members of our community equally and fairly. Department policies and practices serve as a foundation for all members of the Police Department to adhere to this philosophy.

I want every member of our community to know that it is safe to report to and/or seek assistance from the UC Davis Police Department, no matter who you are and no matter how you self-identify.

The fact that an individual is suspected of being undocumented shall not be the sole basis for contact, detention or arrest. Unless immigration status is relevant to another criminal offense or investigation (e.g., harboring, smuggling, terrorism), the UC Davis Police Department does not conduct sweeps or other concentrated efforts to detain suspected undocumented members of the community.

It is my hope that by clarifying our departmental policy, all members of our campus community will feel confident in knowing that the UC Davis Police Department is here to serve and protect everyone.

Sincerely,

Matthew E. Carmichael,
Police Chief

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Figueroa

Dear Campus Colleagues,

I am writing in regard to the recent efforts by Chief of Police Matthew Carmichael in leading the university's Police Department in creating a more inclusive campus by releasing a statement regarding undocumented students on our campus. The statement released by Chief Carmichael promises that “the fact that an individual is suspected of being undocumented shall not be the sole basis for contact, detention or arrest.”

Being from a background of undocumented family members and a community that has constantly struggled with issues of immigration and police brutality, I wholeheartedly support the effort led by Chief Carmichael and hope that his influence leads to progressive changes within police relations on our campus and in our community.

This proactive stance is a part of a greater initiative by the Police Department in bringing equity and inclusive language to their policies, and I hope this leads to much more progressive work by the department. I will continue to work with our UC Davis Police Department to see how we could better serve all students in attempts for campuswide equity. In the midst of the undocumented civil rights movement, we, as UC Davis students, staff and faculty, must continuously stride to create a better sense of community and quality of life at the university.

Peace and love,

Armando Figueroa,
President, ASUCD